Category Archives: Embryology

Embryology

Simple hair test ‘could tell women how many eggs they have left’ – Brinkwire

A simple test of a womans hair could tell women how many eggs they have left by judging levels of a key fertility hormone, scientists say.

US and Spanish researchers found biologically relevant levels of anti-Mllerian hormone (AMH) an indicator of ovarian reserves in womens hair samples.

AMH is a hormone produced by the cells within a womans ovaries and gives an indication of her egg reserves and subsequent fertility.

The hormone is incorporated into the matrix of hair before it reaches the surface of the skin.

Levels of AMH from the hair correlated with levels from blood samples, which is currently the most common method of measuring the hormone.

But taking AHM readings from the hair would be less invasive than a blood sample and a more appropriate representation of hormone levels, according to scientists.

Testing can be done without visiting a clinic, such as by sending a hair sample through the post, which makes this type of test cheaper and available to a broader range of women.

The role of AMH as a measure of ovarian reserve in predicting response to ovarian stimulation for IVF now seems beyond question, researchers add.

Hair is a medium that can accumulate biomarkers over several weeks, while serum is an acute matrix representing only current levels, said Sarthak Sawarkar at US health tech firm MedAnswers, who presented his research online at the 36th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

While hormone levels in blood can fluctuate rapidly in response to stimuli, hormone levels measured in hair would represent an accumulation over several weeks.

A measurement using a hair sample is more likely to reflect the average hormone levels in an individual.

AMH has become a key marker in the assessment of how women may respond to fertility treatment.

The hormone is produced by small cells surrounding each egg as it develops in the ovary.

Studies have not correlated AMH levels to a reliable chance of live birth, nor to forecasting the time of menopause.

However, AMH measurement has become an intrinsic marker in assessing how a patient will respond to ovarian stimulation for IVF as a normal responder, poor responder (with few eggs), or over-responder (with many eggs and a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome).

Currently, AMH is presently measured in serum taken from a blood sample drawn intravenously, but readings taken this way represent just a snapshot of a moment in time and are relatively invasive to complete.

To learn more about the potential of AMH readings taken from the hair, researchers collected hair and blood samples 152 women from whom hair were during hospital visits.

AMH was also measured in blood samples from the same subjects, as well as an ultrasound count of developing follicles in the ovary a method known as antral follicle count (AFC).

Biologically relevant AMH levels were successfully detected in the hair samples, which declined with patient age, as expected by the team.

AMH levels from hair strongly correlated with levels as determined by both serum in the blood and AFC.

The hair test was also able to detect a wide range of AMH levels within individuals from a similar age cohort, suggesting a greater accuracy than from a single blood sample.

Hormones accumulate in hair shafts over a period of months, while hormone levels in serum can change over the course of hours, they found, meaning the hair test may be a more reliable measurement.

Hormone levels are also assessed non-invasively, which reduces testing stress and offers a less expensive assay.

This study is very interesting as it suggests AMH can be reliably measured from hair samples as opposed to the standard approach of a blood test, Tim Child, medical director at Oxford Fertility, told the Times.

The AMH level in hair is more likely to be averaged-out over a time period rather than the more instant level in a blood sample.

The question is whether the hair AMH levels correlate to the ovarian response and therefore numbers of eggs collected during an IVF cycle this is not examined in this study.

If the correlation is poor then hair samples will be of no benefit.

If the correlation is as good as, or perhaps even better than with blood AMH, then this technique promises to further simplify the fertility treatment process for women and will be an exciting development.

The results have been presented by PhD student Sarthak Sawarkar, working in the laboratory of Professor Manel Lopez-Bejar in Barcelona, with collaborators from MedAnswers.

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Simple hair test 'could tell women how many eggs they have left' - Brinkwire

Embryology

Breakthrough study demonstrates the ‘re-awakening’ of the ovaries and achieves pregnancy in woman with premature ovarian failure using stem cells -…

LONDON, July 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IVIRMA, a global network of fertility clinics and world-leading pioneer in fertility research, are presenting a breakthrough study at the 36th Congress of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) today, demonstrating the possibility of 're-awakening' the ovaries in women under 40 (38 years and below) with the lowest reproductive reserve at the ovarian level.1 The ASCOT technique (involving infusion of stem cells in the ovarian artery), which has recently been shown to be successful in low-responder patients, has now shown it can achieve pregnancy in a woman with premature ovarian failure (POF).1

The study, 'Bone marrow derived stem cells restore ovarian function and fertility in premature ovarian insufficiency women. Interim report of a randomized trial: mobilization versus ovarian injection',1 which is still ongoing, includes two study arms: one using the ASCOT technique, that is, the infusion of stem cells in the ovarian artery* and, second, a less invasive option consisting of mobilising the stem cells, and allowing them to reach the ovaries through the bloodstream directly. The preliminary results have shown that ovarian follicle development was achieved in both groups, with some patients re-starting menstruation, and a decrease in menopausal symptoms. As a result of this procedure, embryos were obtained in 2 out of the 10 participants, and even one pregnancy through the ASCOT technique was achieved.

Dr. Diaz, Medical Director, IVI London, a leading fertility specialist and co-pioneer of the world's first womb transplant, commented, "We are truly excited by these very promising results achieving ovary re-awakening and pregnancy using stem cells in a woman who previously may not have had the option to conceive using her own eggs. We continually strive to pioneer on the cutting-edge of fertility research, as we know how harrowing it can be for every person struggling to conceive. These new techniques may give us potential new options for women with premature ovarian failure, in addition to those with low ovarian reserve."

It is estimated that 1 in 100 women under 40 years of age suffer from premature ovarian failure (POF) in the UK. 2.5% of all patients with POF are adolescents.2 This premature cessation of ovarian activity is one of the most challenging scenarios in terms of reproduction and can be devastating. Now, thanks to the findings of this study, led by Dr. Sonia Herraiz, researcher at the IVI Foundation-IIS la Fe, Spain and Dr. Nuria Pellicer, gynaecologist at Hospital la Fe in Valencia, Spain, there might be hope for women suffering from this fertility issue.

Dr. Nuria Pellicer, Gynaecologist, Hospital la Fe, Valencia, Spain added, "So far, we obtained embryos in 2 of the 10 patients included and one 37-week pregnancy in the ASCOT arm, in patients with almost no chance of successful pregnancy with classic in vitro fertilisation procedures. We found that both arms promoted the development of follicles, and some patients have even recovered their menstruation, thus reducing menopausal symptoms However, these are preliminary results of an ongoing study, so we remain cautious until the study is complete. We aim to develop a technique that is as minimally invasive as possible over time and standardise it so that it can be implemented in all our clinics. We would like to make it possible to offer any woman who wishes to become a mother the possibility of doing so, even when her reproductive circumstances are unfavourable."

"This is a very encouraging line of research in which we will continue to work with a single goal: to improve assisted reproduction techniques and treatments in order to obtain the best results, however difficult the reproductive prognosis may seem," concluded Dr. Herraiz, researcher at the IVI Foundation-IIS, la Fe, Spain.

More About the Study1

In addition to this research, IVI are presenting three more studies at the ESHRE Congress:

These new techniques and other research conducted by IVI is translated and applied to the treatments available in their clinics across the world, which is in turn reflected in the achieved results. The London clinic has achieved 71.4% clinical pregnancy rates per embryos transferred in women under the age of 386 and recent data shows that with PGT-A genetic screening the evolutive pregnancy rate is 57% in women undergoing treatment at IVI London as compared to the national average of 42%.7 Furthermore, 100% of these pregnancies have been achieved through single embryo transfer, eliminating chances of multiple pregnancy and the complications that arise with it.7

More about the ASCOT technique development: 3 babies and 6 pregnancies achieved so far in low-responder patients

To date, 3 babies and 6 pregnancies have been achieved using the ASCOT technique for ovarian rejuvenation in low-responder patients with low ovarian reserve, pioneered by IVIRMA Global. The technique involves transplanting bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMDSC) into the ovarian artery, achieving a partial reversal of ageing of the ovary, the organ responsible for ovulation, and activating the dormant follicles that would otherwise remain arrested in the ovary. After its first phase in animal models to test the effectiveness of the technique with stem cells, this study went to its second phase in low-responder patients. A total of 20 patients had their stem cells mobilized, extracted from peripheral blood and implanted back into the ovary in order to reverse the ageing process and activate the dormant follicles. This technique has improved ovarian function biomarkers in 81% of low responder patients. In addition, spontaneous pregnancies occurred. In view of the success of this phase, the next stage was undertaken, which consisted of recruiting women under 38 years of age, this time with early ovarian failure (a situation with a worse reproductive prognosis that of low responders). From here the above-mentioned study arose.

IVIRMA Global and IVI London, UK

IVI was founded in 1990, as the first medical institution in Spain fully dedicated to Assisted Reproduction. Since then it has helped with the birth of more than 200,000 babies thanks to the application of the latest Assisted Reproduction technologies. In early 2017, IVI merged with RMANJ, becoming the largest Assisted Reproduction group in the world. It currently has more than 65 clinics in 9 countries and is the leading centre for Reproductive Medicine. In 2016 IVI opened its doors in London, located in the heart of the medical district.www.rmanetwork.comhttps://ivi-fertility.co.uk/

References

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Breakthrough study demonstrates the 're-awakening' of the ovaries and achieves pregnancy in woman with premature ovarian failure using stem cells -...

Embryology

Artificial intelligence in embryo selection: a reality thanks to IVIRMA Global – PRNewswire

VALENCIA, Spain, July 6,2020 /PRNewswire/ --As spectacular and futuristic as it may seem, using Artificial Intelligence to automatically analyze embryos in a standardized way to improve pregnancy rates is already a reality. This is confirmed by an IVIRMA Global study entitled 'A universal algorithm is available in last generation time-lapse incubators: embryo score provided by the KIDScoreD5 is strongly correlated with chromosomal status and clinical outcomes'.

IVIRMA Global has already participated in the development of the EmbryoScope (incubator with time-lapse technology) from its beginnings, helping in its evolution and laying the foundations for automatic embryo selection. In its latest development, EmbryoScope presents its newest software system, KIDScoreD5, which automatically performs embryo selection and classification.

The study has been carried out over the last three years and has become the most extensive case study in the history of embryology to date (more than 20,000 embryos and more than 3,000 patients have been analyzed). In the study, IVIRMA Global has demonstrated that universal, standardized and automatic embryo selection is a reality for the field of embryology. As the study's principal researcher, Dr. Marcos Meseguer, scientific supervisor of IVI Valencia, comments, "The KIDScoreD5 system automatically classifies embryos using Artificial Intelligence, it detects and evaluates all the steps in the development of the embryo and also classifies its morphology".

Dr. Meseguer points out that, "We have seen that the KIDScoreD5 system makes an assessment to distinguish between those embryos that are more likely to be chromosomally normal, called euploid embryos, and those that are not, called aneuploid embryos." Based on the score the system gives each embryo, we know its probability of gestation and the possibility of taking a healthy baby home.

The KIDScoreD5 system analyzes the embryos automatically classifying them from one to ten depending on their quality and morphology. Since automated embryo selection is more accurate than manual selection, the probability of a successful pregnancy is directly linked to the percentage score and, therefore, the patient has a greater chance of success.

Main values of the study and the KIDScoreD5 system

About IVIRMA Global

IVI was founded in 1990, as the first medical institution in Spain fully dedicated to assisted reproduction. Since then it has helped with the birth of more than 200,000 babies thanks to the application of the latest technologies. In early 2017, IVI merged with RMANJ, becoming the largest assisted reproduction group in the world. It currently has more than 65 clinics in 9 countries and is the leading centre for reproductive medicine. http://www.ivi.es- http://www.rmanetwork.com.

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Artificial intelligence in embryo selection: a reality thanks to IVIRMA Global - PRNewswire

Embryology

HFEA publishes 2018 trends in fertility treatment – BioNews

6 July 2020

The Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA)has published its latest analysis on trends in fertility treatment, based on data from across the UK in 2018.

Headline findings include an increase in IVFsuccess rates, a surge in eggand embryofreezing, and a decrease in NHSfunding for fertility treatments.

Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA, said: 'While fertility treatment is never a guarantee for a baby, we are pleased to see that birth rates have increased over the years and the average birth rate is now steady at 23 percent. Whilst this leaves many couples without their longed-for family after treatment, these small year-on-year increases are important for the sector to build on.'

In 2018 about 54,000 patients underwent 68,724 fresh and frozen IVFcycles and 5,651 donor insemination cycles at HFEA licensed fertility clinics across the UK. IVF birth rates increased for all patient groups under the age of 43 over time. Patients below the age of 35 had a birth rate of 31 percent per transferred embryo (23 percent for all patients), an increase from only nine percent in 1991, when HFEA was established.

Age remains a key factor for IVF success, with a birth rate below five percent for women over 43 who use their own eggs.

Multiple pregnancy, one of the main risk factors of IVF, has for the first time fallen to eight percent, as it has become clear that implanting more than one embryo has no significant impact on the chance of live birth.

The report also states that the number of patients choosing embryo and egg storage cycles increased five-fold from 1400 in 2013 to 9000 in 2018. The number of women freezing unfertilisedeggs has also climbed from 569 in 2013 to 2000 in 2018. Frozen embryo transfers are now more successful than fresh ones, although only by a small margin.

Sarah Norcross from the Progress Educational Trust said: 'The women we have spoken to value motherhood and having a family is really important to them and so they are choosing to freeze their eggs as a back-up plan in case they need them in the future. Of course, they may not need them as they may find a partner and get pregnant the old-fashioned way. I think there is a greater awareness of egg freezing as a reproductive choice and also of the biological clock and so women are choosing to invest money in trying to improve their reproductive options'.

The level of NHS funding for fertility treatment varies across the UK: In Scotland, 60 percent of fertility treatments are funded by the NHS, but in England where funding is controlled locally by clinical commission groups (CCGs), this figure has fallen below 30 percent in some areas.

'What is hugely disappointing is the continued fall in NHS-funded cycles... Whilst the Nice [National Institute forHealthand Care Excellence] guidance states that all eligible couples should be entitled to three full cycles (including the use of frozen embryos)' said Professor Adam Balen, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists spokesperson on reproductive medicine. 'IVF is cost effective and has shown to be an economic benefit to society.'

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HFEA publishes 2018 trends in fertility treatment - BioNews

Embryology

Adelaide fertility software launches in the UK, Europe – InDaily

adelaide Monday July 06, 2020

An Adelaide-based company that uses artificial intelligence to increase the chance of pregnancy through IVF has launched its software application in the UK and Europe.

Life Whisperer, the fertility arm of AI healthcare company Presagen, commercialised its flagship product in Australia in late January and released it through a distributor into India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh last month.

Approvals are also being sought to sell the software tool in Japan, Southeast Asia and the US, where it has conducted a number of clinical trials.

Last weeks launch into the UK and Europe is a major step in the three-and-a-half-year journey for the product, which was forced into a COVID-19 hiatus from March to May when many of the worlds fertility clinics closed their doors.

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Presagen currently has 15 staff and small offices in San Francisco and London to drive the global expansion.

Founder and CEO Dr Michelle Perugini said the company had strong connections in the UK and Europe and a number of clinics were already trialling the product in the region.

She said getting clinics on board as commercial customers was the next stage.

Regulatory approval in the UK and Europe represents a significant opportunity for Life Whisperer to expand its global presence, and we are very much looking forward to working with clinics and patients across the region, supported from our London Offices, she said.

Its a secure web-based application that is completely scalable so we can set up new clinics within minutes anywhere in the world.

Life Whisperer co-founders Dr Jonathan Hall (left), Dr Michelle Perugini and Dr Don Perugini. Picture: Matt Loxton.

The Embryo Viability Application for IVF clinics uses artificial intelligence to analyse images of embryos to assist clinicians to identify which embryo will likely lead to a pregnancy.

By selecting the best embryo, Life Whisperer aims to shorten the time to pregnancy and improve outcomes for couples undergoing IVF treatment.

An international study recently published in the journal Human Reproduction involved blind evaluation of 1600 IVF embryos.

Life Whisperer was shown to perform 25 per cent better than traditional manual methods of embryo assessment by highly experienced embryologists.

The technology will be showcased on Tuesday night Australian time at the 36th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, which is being held online this year.

Internationally renowned fertility expert Matthew (Tex) VerMilyea from Ovation Fertility (USA) will present Life Whisperers latest advances in AI for IVF at the event where Presagen will also have a virtual exhibition booth .

Dr Perugini said Presagen was planning a significant capital raise this year to drive growth.

She said the company was looking forward to working with IVF clinics across the globe to offer Life Whisperer to patients at a low cost, meaning more couples could gain more certainty in embryo selection and achieve success sooner, with fewer IVF cycles.

Life Whisperer is poised to become the global gold standard embryo pre-screening tool in IVF, supporting the clinical decision about which embryo is most viable.

Dr Perugini and Presagen CTO Dr Jonathan Hall are both past winners of InDailys 40 Under 40 Awards, which recognises South Australias top business leaders aged under 40.

Nominations are still openfor this years 40 Under 40 Awards with judging to commence in August before the awards are held in October.

In times like these InDaily provides valuable, local independent journalism in South Australia. As a news organisation it offers an alternative to The Advertiser, a different voice and a closer look at what is happening in our city and state for free. Any contribution to help fund our work is appreciated. Please click below to donate to InDaily.

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Adelaide fertility software launches in the UK, Europe - InDaily

Embryology

UK’s IVF success rate has tripled in last 20 years – The Guardian

IVF success rates have tripled over the last 20 years in the UK, with almost a third of all embryo transfers in women under 35 resulting in a baby, according to the fertility regulator.

But patients in parts of England are finding it increasingly difficult to access NHS funding for infertility treatment due to what one expert described as a hugely disappointing fall in NHS-funded cycles. Though UK guidelines say women under 40 should be given three full IVF cycles, that only happens by default in Scotland, where 60% of treatments were NHS funded in 2018, statistics from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) show.

In England, where funding is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), there is a postcode lottery, with just some offering three cycles and others none. Many CCGs have reduced funding for fertility treatment, with the biggest decreases seen in the east of England as well as Yorkshire and the Humber, cutting the England-wide share of NHS funded cycles to 35% from 41% in 2013.

The chances of IVF succeeding has improved across all age groups since 1998, though younger women continue to have a far higher birth rate. In 2018, the average birth rate per embryo transferred for all IVF patients was 23% but was 31% for under-35s, compared with less than 5% for patients 43 and above when using their own eggs.

Women over 40 who use donor eggs rather than their own have a much higher chance of a baby 25% per embryo transfer, compared with 10% when using their own eggs.

Since 2013, the number of egg and embryo storage cycles increased fivefold to just under 9,000 cycles in 2018, as freezing techniques improved and have become more commonplace.

Frozen embryo transfers are now more successful than fresh transfers, with 24.8% resulting in a baby (the birth rate from fresh transfers is 22.7%). Doctors increasingly freeze all embryos from each IVF cycle, not just the spares, giving a womans body more time to get back to normal after the physically arduous process of ovarian stimulation.

Black and minority ethnic women in the UK are more likely to turn to IVF the figures show. Just 59% of all IVF cycles in 2018 were undertaken by white people, who make up an estimated 86% of the UK population as a whole.

Prof Adam Balen, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists spokesperson on reproductive medicine, welcomed the increased birth rates but criticised the reduction in funding, saying IVF should not be an easy target for cost cutting.

What is hugely disappointing is the continued fall in NHS-funded cycles. In 2018 in Scotland, 60% of treatment was NHS-funded, compared to 45% in Northern Ireland, 41% in Wales and 35% in England, he said.

Whilst the Nice [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] guidance states that all eligible couples should be entitled to three full cycles (including the use of frozen embryos) and we know, using latest statistics, that this will give them an 80-85% chance of having a baby and indeed many will not require the full three cycles, with on average 30% conceiving with one cycle (and in the best cases maybe 40-45%) IVF is seen to be an easy target.

But infertility is a serious medical condition, resulting in huge stress and distress and caused itself by a large number of different medical problems. Indeed, it is the second commonest reason for women of reproductive years to visit their GP. IVF is cost effective and has shown to be an economic benefit to society.

Though IVF has traditionally been associated with twins, the multiple birth rate from the procedure has decreased to 8%, its lowest level since 1991, when the rate was 29.1%. This follows research proving that implanting more than one embryo does not result in a better chance of having a baby.

Implanting more than one embryo has no significant impact on the chance of a live birth but results in a 32% multiple birth rate for patients under 35.

Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA, said this reduction made pregnancy and childbirth much safer for women and babies.

I am delighted that we have continued to make progress on reducing the multiple birth rate, making fertility treatment now safer than ever before. We know that multiple births are the biggest single health risk from IVF for mothers and babies and put an additional burden on the NHS.

Thats why it is a great achievement that for the first time our 10% multiple birth rate target was achieved across all age groups and nationally only 8% of IVF births resulted in a multiple birth. This shows that there is now a common understanding that implanting more than one embryo does not increase your chances of having a baby.

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UK's IVF success rate has tripled in last 20 years - The Guardian

Embryology

Number of people choosing to freeze their eggs or embryos surges 523% in five years – iNews

The number of people choosing to freeze their eggs or embryos has increased five-fold in the UK since 2013, according to latest figures.

Data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) show that the number of egg and embryo storage cycles rose by 523 per cent between 2013 and 2018.

According to its figures, the number of cycles rose from 1,500 in 2013 to just under 9,000 in 2018.

There was a 93 per cent rise in frozen embryo transfer cycles between the two years, up from 13,421 to 25,889.

Meanwhile, the number of fresh embryo transfers rose from 48,391 to 42,835, a drop of 11 per cent.

A number of reasons could be attributed to the rise in the number of people freezing their embryos or eggs, including improved freezing facilities, advances in treatment options and an increased desire for patients to freeze them for future use or for fertility preservation.

The fertility authoritys latest figures also showed that the multiple birth rate from IVF treatment has reached a record low.

Fertility clinics have been working to a target to reduce the number of women who fall pregnant with twins or triplets as multiple births are the biggest risk to IVF mothers and babies.

In 2018, only 8 per cent of IVF births resulted in a multiple birth.

Around 54,000 patients had IVF treatment in 2018 and the average birth rate per embryo transferred for all IVF patients was 23 per cent.

The HFEA found age is still a key factor in IVF outcomes, with younger patients reporting higher success rates.

Patients under 35 had a birth rate of 31 per cent per embryo transferred compared with 5 per cent for patients aged 43 and above.

Its report states that clinical improvements have led to increased chances of a live birth for all patients below 43 years old.

Higher birth rates were seen among women over the age of 40 when they used donor eggs in treatment, it added.

While fertility treatment is never a guarantee for a baby, we are pleased to see that birth rates have increased over the years and the average birth rate is now steady at 23 per cent, said HFEA chair Sally Cheshire.

Whilst this leaves many couples without their longed for family after treatment, these small year-on-year increases are important for the sector to build on.

Ever more patients are deciding to freeze their eggs and embryos and although still a relatively small part of fertility treatment overall, freezing techniques are now much more common with improved freezing technology and better success rates using frozen embryos.

Sarah Norcross, director of fertility and genomics charity, the Progress Educational Trust (PET), said the increase in egg freezing showed women now see social egg freezing as a valid reproductive choice.

This increase also highlights the pressing need for the Government to act now to change the 10-year storage limit for social egg freezing before hundreds more women face the stark choice of having to destroy their frozen eggs and perhaps their best chance of becoming a biological mother, she added.

For Dr Emily Grossman, freezing her eggs at the age of 38 was the best decision she ever made.

Now 41, the science broadcaster, author and educator explains it hadnt occurred to her to start getting worried about her fertility until she was in her mid-30s.

Dr Grossman had attended a talk at the Cheltenham Science Festival where she learned that from the age of 35 a womans fertility drops really rapidly.

She was dating at the time but had not yet met someone with whom she wanted to start a family.

It was a few years later when she really started to feel the constant ticking of my biological clock.

I was stuck between a rock and a hard place do I wait until Im in the right relationship, until I feel ready and risk leaving it too late to be able to conceive, or do I rush into it now with perhaps the wrong partner, she says.

Then I heard about the possibility of egg freezing. I realise this isnt an opportunity thats open to everybody in the sense it is expensive and it is difficult and challenging to find the time to go through a physical process like that but actually its the best decision Ive ever made.

Dr Grossman, who completed four rounds of egg freezing, says she started to feel relief almost as soon as the process had started.

Knowing that although I didnt have absolute certainty that I could rely on this method, she says, but that I had a back-up, which took the pressure off having to find the right person immediately and straight away start a family.

Dr Grossman said she welcomed the increase in people freezing their eggs or embryos, saying it reflected the fact that the stigma is being removed from women taking control of their fertility.

In the past, women would only start to looking into egg freezing or IVF at a time when it was already too late because by that time their fertility had already dropped, she says.

If we can start having the conversation earlier so that women in their 30s start to become aware of this which is what we are seeing happen then we actually make it far more likely that women are going to freeze their eggs at a time when its more likely it will lead to having a child.

Its great that the numbers are going up and I think this reflects an increasing openness in society to women having the conversation about fertility and the increasing possibility for women to be able to break through that taboo and step away from the stigma of being a women in your mid to late 30s who hasnt had a child yet.

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Number of people choosing to freeze their eggs or embryos surges 523% in five years - iNews

Embryology

AI fertility product Life Whisperer offers new hope to IVF patients in the UK and Europe following CE Mark approval – PR Newswire UK

Life Whisperer's flagship product uses artificial intelligence to analyse images of embryos to assist clinicians to identify which embryo will likely lead to a pregnancy. By selecting the best embryo, Life Whisperer aims to shorten the time to pregnancy and improve outcomes for couples undergoing IVF treatment.

Life Whisperer will showcase their flagship product at the 36th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Internationally renowned fertility expert Matthew (Tex) VerMilyea from Ovation Fertility (USA) will present Life Whisperer's latest advances in AI for IVF.

In an international clinical study involving blind evaluation of 1,600 IVF embryos, Life Whisperer was shown to perform 25% better than traditional manual methods of embryo assessment by highly experienced embryologists. The study was published recently in the prestigious journal Human Reproduction.

With clinics worldwide already using the application, the company is looking forward to working with IVF clinics across the region to offer Life Whisperer to patients at a low cost, meaning more couples can gain more certainty in embryo selection and achieve success sooner, with fewer IVF cycles.

Founder and CEO of Presagen, Dr Michelle Perugini said, "Life Whisperer is poised to become the global gold standard embryo pre-screening tool in IVF, supporting the clinical decision about which embryo is most viable." The company also plans to extend its AI technology to other applications in IVF including embryo genetic assessment and oocyte assessment.

"Regulatory approval in the UK and Europe represents a significant opportunity for Life Whisperer to expand its global presence, and we are very much looking forward to working with clinics and patients across the region, supported from our London Offices," Dr Perugini said.

Minister for Trade and Investment, David Ridgway said the innovative Life Whisperer technology presents an exciting development in the healthcare technology industry.

"I congratulate Presagen on the clearance of their technology in UK and Europe and look forward to seeing further success for the company in additional international markets," Minister Ridgway said.

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AI fertility product Life Whisperer offers new hope to IVF patients in the UK and Europe following CE Mark approval - PR Newswire UK

Embryology

Is Lost Embryo Litigation The New Asbestos? – Above the Law

Earlier this month, a couple filed suit against a fertility clinic in New York. They claimed negligence, fraud, intentional inflection of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The complaint tells a story of an especially rough road of fertility treatments. Before their family was complete, the couple, Christopher and Nicole Mooney, went through 13 egg retrievals and 15 embryo transfer procedures. That is a lot!

The couple seeks damages from the clinic and its doctors for, among other things:

The clinic, New York Fertility Institute, denies the couples allegations, stating they were surprised by the lawsuit, never lost the couples embryos, and never transferred the wrong number of embryos.Sounds like some pretty fundamental factual issues in the case!

What Does The Expert Say?

Colleen Quinn is a Virginia attorney with a strong assisted reproductive technology (ART) law practice and litigation practice a unique combination, and one well-fitted for the new rising tide of ART litigation. Quinn explained that embryos are actually pretty easy to lose or mis-identify when clinics do not maintain careful record keeping and accountability. She described how embryos are stored in tiny little straws as small as a sewing needle and each straw has to include identifying information. That does sound tough and open to human error. And clearly those of us who cant find our keys most days should steer clear of a profession in embryology.

Making The Grade

Quinn further explained that embryos are typically graded on their level of viability. However, not all grading is the same, depending on the clinic, or even the person doing the grading. Some may be viable and some may not be viable or some may even be semi-viable. How they are marked in such teeny-tiny space in the cryogenically preserved minuscule straw, versus what is placed on paper, requires attention to detail and meticulous record-keeping. But in this context, attention to detail and meticulous record-keeping should be the bare minimum features of the standard of care, when each and every embryo, and the viability or grading of each, is essential to the patients who have paid so much for the creation of each and every embryo as well as the hope that the patient has for each embryo to be their future child.

Quinn believes that patients should have access to information as to the exact status of each of their embryos and their viability. How it was graded, where and how it was kept, whether it was kept in the same vessel or straw as other embryos and if so, which ones, as well as which ones were thawed and discarded, and ultimately, which ones were transferred to the patients or gestational carriers uterus. As both a litigator and ART attorney, I am seeing more and more of these lost or misplaced or mislabeled embryo cases. This could be avoided with better and more careful record-keeping. I know most reputable clinics and fertility doctors do their absolute best however, we are talking about super tiny, yet mega-valuable material that has been created at both a high financial and emotional cost!

Embryo Transportation

Although the Mooney case does not involve the transportation of embryos from one clinic to the other, Quinn notes that this is a point in the process especially vulnerable and ripe for litigation. When embryos are transported to another clinic, the record-keeping of what got sent and what got received is critical. I have seen so many mishaps in the transportation and accounting process.

Time For (More) Regulation

The Mooneys and their attorney have stated that the purpose of the lawsuit is not just to obtain monetary damages, but also, at least in part, to encourage greater regulation of fertility clinics. Of course, greater regulation often means greater cost, and fertility treatment is already prohibitively expensive for many. But given the devastation and heartbreak caused by missing embryo and mixed-up embryo cases in the United States, it does seem appropriate that there be strict record-keeping requirements.The alternative, for some clinics, will be more lawsuits like the Mooneys. And that just means going to court when tragic losses happens, as opposed to preventing them in the first place.

Ellen Trachman is the Managing Attorney ofTrachman Law Center, LLC, a Denver-based law firm specializing in assisted reproductive technology law, and co-host of the podcastI Want To Put A Baby In You. You can reach her atbabies@abovethelaw.com.

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Is Lost Embryo Litigation The New Asbestos? - Above the Law

Embryology

Egg freezing rises five-fold in part thanks to ‘revolutionary’ technology, experts say – Telegraph.co.uk

The number of women freezing their eggs has risen five-fold since 2013, official figures show, in part thanks to "revolutionary" technology which has boosted success rates.

Health officials have documented a surge in the number of IVF "storage cycles" where people undergo fertility treatment and store their eggs or embryos until a later date.

Data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) show that the number of embryo and egg storage cycles increased by 523 per cent between 2013 and 2018 - from 1,500 cycles in 2013 to just under 9,000 in 2018.

There was a 93 per cent rise in frozen embryo transfer cycles between 2013 and 2018 - up from 13,421 to 25,889, and an 11 per cent decrease in the number of fresh embryo transfers - from 48,391 in 2013 to 42,835 in 2018.

Around 54,000 patients had IVF treatment in 2018 and the average birth rate per embryo transferred for all IVF patients was 23 per cent.

Experts say the rise could be attributed to the significant improvements to the method known as vitrification.

First used in the UK around 2010, vitrification freezes the eggs roughly 600 times faster than the old method meaning they are more likely to thaw intact.

A paper due to be released next month in the Reproductive BioMedicine Online journal details how eggs now have more than 80 per cent chance of survival thanks to the method.

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Egg freezing rises five-fold in part thanks to 'revolutionary' technology, experts say - Telegraph.co.uk